'Downton Abbey' Season 4 Scores Highest Premiere Ratings in PBS History

By Nick Roman ·

Credit: Carnival/Masterpiece

Say what you will about Downton Abbey Season 4 getting off to a slow start in the story department, but there's no arguing that the drama hasn't hit the ground running when it comes to sheer viewership numbers.

Sunday night's two-hour U.S. premiere of Downton Abbey on PBS Masterpiece delivered a monumental 10.2 million viewers. Not only does this represent a 22 percent increase over last season's debut, this now marks the highest-rated drama premiere in PBS history.

“As this captivating drama continues, our audiences have been eagerly awaiting this new season to see what’s next for these beloved characters,” said PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger. “I’m so pleased that millions of viewers have returned to Downton Abbey on their local PBS stations for what has become a post-holiday tradition.”

The season has a tall order to live up to in the wake of last season, but it's already well on its way.

Via: Entertainment Weekly

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